Cap transfer mechanism for drying ovens



p 2, 1952 E. A. TESCH, JR

CAP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR DRYING OVENS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1948 INVENTOR.

J M M m a m 1 BY hm,wv

Sept. 2, 1952 E. A. TESCH, JR

CAP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR DRYING OVENS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1948 min mflm wi l I Elm A w m AG 5 m% R ww wm W W M M w in 8 Q Sept. 2, 1952 E. A. TESCH, JR 2,609,106

CAP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR DRYING OVENS Filed Aug. 25; 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 o 9 Q v IE .1 Rh A a W; 4% M I g 1Q I Q Q Sept. 2, 1952 E. A. TESCH, JR

CAP mmsmz' MECHANISM FOR DRYING OVENS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 25 L948 ma T M W m M Y Se t. 2, 1952 E. A. TEscH; JR

CAP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR DRYING OVENS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 25, 1948 mw WW W4 w |N1QN| m U m U. mg JQQN U W. m L w h w my x I u w m mm, mm w A k u i Q R. m .xml MW. W 1|. k my M l A??? bk AI m l I I T Se t. 2, '1952 E. A. TESCH, JR 2,609,106

CAP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR DRYING OVENS Filed Aug. 25, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 6 iii;

INVENTOR.

Sept. 2, 1952 E. A. TESCH, JR

CAP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR DRYING OVENS Filed Aug. 25. 1948.

8 Sheets-Sheet 8 lllllll lllll INVENTOR. Era esi/I. Tesc7z,J7f

MQMAM XM Patented Sept. 2, 1952 CAP TRANSFERMEOHANISM FORDRYING OVENS ErnestA. Tesch, .m, Chicago, 111., assignor to Phoenix Metal (lap Cor Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation ofNew York Application August25, 194s. "SerialNo. 48,067

1 Claims.

The invention relates to new and "useful improvements in a cap transfer mechanism .,for automatically removing caps groups from a conveyer'and placing. the same :on the trays of a drying oven. 1 Figure 3';

-An -object ..of "the invention is to provide a Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line. 6, 6 transfer mechanism wherein aseries of capcarof Figure 2, and Figiire rying devices are so moved and timed as to Figure '7 is a sectional viewon the line :1, .1 of simultaneously engage and lift a group of caps Figure 2 fromaconveyerwhile it is moving and simulta- Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view through neouslyplace said lifted caps on a tray of adrythe cap carrying devices on an enlarged scale; If ing-oven while the tray is moving. Figure 9 is a view showing in section the hous Afurther object oiztheiinvention isto provide ing for the cap carrying devices, a portion oi the means forindependentlysupporting cap scarryoven conveyer, and the trays supported therelng devicesso that each devicemay be moved in .15 on with the cap carrier shown in full lines .as aicircular path extending first over 'a conveyer having lifted a cap from the conveyer associated forx receivingthe capand thence overa tray for with the coasting machine and in broken lines placing the cap thereon and wherein-each liftas having placed'the cap on a tray .of the con-,1 ingadeviceis lowered to pick up the cap and again veyer associated with the drying oven; lowered for c-placingthe; caponthe tray. .20 Figure 10 is a front View of the cam for'ishift- Another object of the inventionis to provide ing the-planet gears to accelerate or 'decelerate a mechanism for :moving said lifting devices so the rotating movements of the cap carrier-:1 that each device is accelerated to the speed of Figure 11 isla view in perspectiveshowing the travel ofthe caps during the picking of the spider for supporting the planet gears andvthe caps from the conveyer and decelerated to a 5 yoke whichoisattached to thespider for shift substantiallystand-still while -nlacing the caps ing the planet gears in one direction .for; on atray. v r celerating the movement imparted to spindles A still further object of the invention is to proand in the other direction for decelerating the vide each ca-p ,carryingdevice with-a suction movement of the spindles. q cu'p'andasuction control valve that is opened In my copending applicatitm Serials-No, just prior to thecup reaching the cap for quickly 15,822, filed March 19., .1948, now Patent No, lifting the eap into engagement with the cup 2,600,138, I have shown and describeda mocha: and also asuction-control valve that is opened nism for applying, a sealing gasket to caps or for releasing thesuction when the caplis properlids for containers. be positioned for placement on the tray I The caps which are to be coated areof the These :and other objects willin part be obvious usual type employed in thesealing of jars or the and :willin part be hereinafter more fully "dislike. The cap is die-shaped so as to provide a closed, r j 1 I 7 cap with a peripheral channel for a sealing In the drawings, which show by way of illusgasket which contacts with the sealinglip ofthe tration one embodiment of the invention: jar for closing and sealing the jar.- Thecoating Figured is a sectional view through one .form mechanism disclosed in my copending applicaof cap orlid that maybe coated and then dried tion includes a stackiholder for the caps, a conin a drying voven; veyer for conveying the caps from the stack Figure 2 is a front view of the left hand porholder through the coating means. There are tion of the housing .lor the transfer mechanism also devicesforremoving-the caps one at a timewith certain parts removed and others broken 5 from the stack holder and placing thesame on away or sectioned .in-ord'er to show the inner the conveyer with the channel of the cap facing mechanism'which transfers the caps from a upwardly. The conveyer carries the cap across conveyer to thetrays of the drying oven; the coating face of "a coating roll sothat the "pe- Figure 2 is a front view of the righthand ripheral flange of the cap will engageandjscrape portion .of-saidjhousing with partsremoved and coating material from therolls Duringfiits travel parts broken away to show the. inner mechaalon thecoat roll, the cap is rotated so that the n i's'm'; a channel will be uniformly filled with the-coating 1 Figure 3 is a 'plan'view of said housing with material. "Ihisall takes place during the moveparfltsj hrokeniaway'andparts in section in order ment of the onveyer and while the caps are-on to s'nowtheinner structure; l the conveyer.- .i

Figure 4 is an end view of said housing for the transfer mechanism-with "parts removedito show the inner structure;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the linei, 5 of caps therefrom. A suction means is provided After the caps have been lifted from the conveyer by the for holding the caps to the carriers.

carriers they are moved so as to simultaneously place the caps over an oven drying tray. Then the carrier is lowered for placing the caps on the tray while the tray is moving. The suction holding the cap to the carrier is released so that the caps drop from the carriers onto the trays. The means for rotating the carriers includes devices for accelerating the movement of the carriers to the speed of the traveling conveyer as the carriers engage the caps and then the movement of the carriers are .decelerated to a substantially stand-still as the caps are placed on the tray.

It is believed that the invention will be better understood by a detailed description of one embodiment of the invention in mechanisms.

In Figure 1 of the drawing, there is shown a cap or lid which is of the usual construction. It is die-shaped so as to provide a channel ll having a peripheral flange l2. The channel is provided with a sealing composition 13 which is of a character that can be flowed into the channel and uniformly fill the same. This is accomplished while the cap is upside down as shown in Figure 1. While the cap is still upside down it is passed through a drying oven so that the volatiles in the coating composition will be driven off.

In the copending application supra, caps of the character shown in Figure 1 are moved one at a time from the stack and placed on a conveyer. The conveyer is so associated with a coating roll that the cap will be moved lengthwise of the face of the coating'roll with the flange l2 in engagement withthe coating so as to scrape the coating from the roll into the channel.

. The conveyer for the caps is illustrated in Figure 9 at l4. The conveyer consists of links 15 forming an endless chain, which links support flat plates on which the caps rest in spaced relation to each other. This conveyer is moved continuously without stopping.

A portion of the drying oven conveyer is shown in Figures 4 and 9. The drying conveyer consists of links I! joined in an endless chain running over suitable sprockets l8, some of which are shown in Figure 9.

There is a chain at each side of the oven and mounted between the chains and carried thereby are trays I9. Certain of the links are provided with pivot pins 20. The trays each have end flanges 2| slotted at 22 to receive a pivot pin. Rollers 23, 23 are mounted on each tray. These rollers run on tracks after the conveyer enters the drying oven, thus taking the weight of the trays off the conveyer chain.

' As shown at the right in Figure 9, the tray designated T is moving from a horizontal path of travel upwardly along a vertical path, oftravel, and the tray is turned on its pivotal support so to be retained in a horizontal position.

s The tray indicated at T has reached the position where the caps are loaded on the same. At this particular position in its travel the tray has 4 ceased its vertical movement and is moving horizontally into the oven.

It is understood that there are numerous trays which are loaded with caps one after another and then the caps on the trays pass through the oven for the drying of the gasket composition. Each tray is of a length so that a group of caps may be placed on the tray side by side in th lengthwise direction of the tray.

There are a series of cap transfer devices which are similar in construction and operation. These cap transfer devices simultaneously lift a group of caps from the conveyer l4 and place the group of caps so lifted on a tray of the drying oven. These cap transferring devices as noted are all similar in construction and the description of one will answer for the others.

Mounted on the front wall 24 of the oven is a housing 25 including an upper wall 26 and an intermediate wall 21. Mounted in the intermediate wall 21 is a bearing 28. Carried by .the upper wall 26 of the housing is a depending hearing rib 29 in which is mounted a rotating sleeve shaft 30. This sleeve shaftcarries a spiral gear 3| which meshes with a worm gear 32 carried by a shaft 33. Mounted in this sleeve shaft for rotation therewith and for endwise movement therein is a supporting shaft 34 for the cap carrier.

The cap carrier includes an arm 35 carried by a sleeve 36 which is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 34. This arm 35 extends radially and downwardly from the shaft 34. Said arm has a depending member 31 into which-is threaded a cap carrying head 38 provided with a uction cup 39 of flexible material. The cup is secured to the head by a retaining member 40 which is threaded into the head and grips the cup 39.

Attached to the upper side of the wall 26 is a cap 4| carrying a header. This header is so dimensioned that the shaft 34 can move up into the header without contacting the same. Sealing gaskets 43 are provided for making the tight joint between the header and the shaft. The shaft has a central passage 44 extending lengthwise thereof and connected to the header at the upper end. The lower end of this passage is closed by a suitable stud 45. 1

The arm 35 includes likewise a passage 46 which is connected with the passage 44. The

' passage 46 in the arm 35 i counterbored at 41 to receive a valve and to provide a valve seat 48.

Mounted in the counterbore portion ofthe passage 46 is 'a valve 49. The valve is rovided with a stem 50 having radially projecting ribs which are guided in the passage 46. Said passage has an enlarged portion in which is located a spring 5| which bears against the valve and normally tends to hold the valve open. 1

There is'a passage 52 leading from the counterbore 41 to a cylindrical passage 53 in the depending member 31. This passage extends into the cap carrying head 38 and terminates in a valve seat 54. The valve 55 is adapted to engage the valve seat and close the passage.

' A spring 56 bears on the valve 55 for holding it closed. Said valve 55 has 9. depending stem 51 with a rounded end.58 that normally projects below the suction cup 39. The header 42 is connected to a suitable source of vacuum creating apparatus and is maintained under vacuum. When the suction cup is moved into engagement with the cap the stem end 58 of the valve 55 first contacts the cap and the valve is lifted so that the cup is connected to the source of suction, and

as soon as the-cup engages the cap, the cap will -begripped-by the suction so that it can be lifted.

The arm 35 has threaded into the lower end thereof an adapter 59. This adapter-i3 provided with a valve seat 60 at its inner side. Attached to the valve stem '50 is a valve 61 having a stem 52 which projects beyond the adapter when the valve is'closed; Y

A spring 33 is placed between the valves and Ill. The valve 49 is mounted for free movement on the stem and is normally held in engagement with a shoulder '64 on said valve stem 50. When the projecting end of the stem 62 is pressedupon, the valve 5| will be moved away from its seat and the'valve 49 will be moved into contact with the seat 48, thus closing offthe suction passage in the arm 35 and opening the passage 52leadlng to the suction cup, and thus connecting the passage or chamber 53 withthe atmosphere and releasing the suction on the" cup so that the cap will drop from the cup.

The shaft '34 is moved endwise by an arm 65 fixed to the shaft 66. The shaft 34 carries acollar-Bl having an annular groove 68 therein. Each arm 65 is provided with trunnions 59- at eachside thereof. (See Figure 3.) a The trunnion 69 on adjacent arms engagethe recess 68 of the collar 51 so that the shaft 34 is moved endwise without the slightest binding of the shaft in its bearings. The shaft 33 has imparted thereto a variable speed in each cycle of rotation of the cap carrier. When the cap carrier is moving over the *cap on the conveyor, the cap carrier is moving in the same direction as the conveyor. While the carrier is directly over the cap the shaft 66 is oscillated so "as to move the suction cup into engagement with the cap. The suction controlling valve 55 is opened" and the cap'attached to the cup and then the carrier is lifted by an upward oscillation ofthe lever arm 65. When the cap has been conveyed around to a point directly over the "tray, the; shaft 33 in its rotation is brought. to substantially a stand-stilLand as it approaches this stand-still position the, arm 65 lowers the rapcarrying head to a position close .to the tray. At this time the valve stem 62 engages a cam plate which opens the valve El and releases the suction on the cup, thus releasing the cap so that it drops onto the tray. 7

Extending from the oven is an actuating shaft II which is coupled to a shaft H by a. timing device H The shaftvll drives the conveyor 14 for the caps. Alsojextendin'gfrom theoven is an actuating shaft 12 which operates the cap carrying devices. This actuating shaft 12 is connected to azspiralgear shaft 13 by a timing device 14.". I f "Mounted in the housing is a shaft 15. Said shaft is mounted in a bearing 16 carried by the outer wall of housing 11; and also a bearing 18 carried by the inner wall of the housingforithe driving gear mechanism, Mounted onthis shaft 15, is a sleeve 19 which is free to rotate on the shaft. ,The sleeve carries a member 80. A worm gear BI and a cam disc are bolted to the member 80 to rotate therewith. Thus it is that. the spiral gear 13 rotates the worm gear Blfland imparts rotation to'the sleeve l9.

weirdly as indicated at- 85. It is this section- 8S of the cam groove which operates through the lever arm 83 to oscillate the shaft-66 and thus raise and lower the arm 65 and the shaft 84 on which the cap carrying devices are mounted.

It will be understood that this shaftSB iscom mon to all the cap carrying'units, and will simultaneously raise and lower each cap carrying de vice. This is what moves the cap carrying device downwardly for engagement with a cap on the conveyer, and thence lifts it off from the conveyor and after it is moved to a position over the'tray it lowers the cap carrying device until the caps are positioned for placement on the tray. 7

Also mounted on the member '80 is a cam disc'fll. This cam disc 8'! is likewise keyed to the sleeve and rotates therewith. Mounted on'this sleeve 19 is a sun gear 88 which is keyed to the sleeve and rotates therewith. Mounted on thes ha'ft 1,5 and keyed thereto for rotation with the shaftis a radially extending disc 89. An internal gear '95 is bolted by suitable bolts 9! to this disc 89.

Disposed between the internal gear 95 and the sun gear 88 are planet gears 92. There are four. planet gears and they each mesh with the in ternal gear and also with the sun gear. These planet gears are in turn mounted on stud shafts 93 carried by a spider 94, supported by a sleeve 95 mounted on the hub of the disc 89, but free to rotate or oscillate on said hub. In other words, this spider does not rotate with the internal gear; Three of the stud shafts 93 are mounted 'onja yoke 96 and are bolted to the spider 94; "said yokemember 96 carries an arm 91. 'Pivoted to the outer end of the arm 91 is a link98. 'This li'nk at its other end is pivoted to an actuating lever 99 which in turn is pivotally'mounte'd at I00 on suitable supporting lugs Illl. This actuating lever arm 99 carries a roller I02 running in a camgroove, [03 in the cam disc 81.

The shaft 15 extends through the bearing 78 and is connected by a suitable timing'mechanism 104 tothe shaft 33 and it is on this shaft 33 that thedriving worm gears 32 for the cap carrying units are mounted.

'The sun gear 88 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. This will cause the planet gears to rotate in a clockwise direction and also the internal gear to rotate ma clockwise direction. The cam 81 in Figure 10 has been divided into sections and the operation of the cam on the roller N12 for shifting the spider will be described in detail. The cam groove has a concentric sec- The "cam disc is'supported by this 'sleeve and i is keyed thereto; 1. Mounted on the end of the shaft 66 is an arm 83 said arm c'arrie'sa roller 85 {which runs in a camgroove, 85 in the face of the cam .disc- 82.

Thisfcam groove has concentric sections separatedby sections whichare offset" radially in tion A extending from the radial line a-:c to the line 11-02. The cam groove also has a concentric section B extending from the radial line o-arto the radial line d-ar. Between these sections A and B on the right of Figure 10 is an eccentric section C. The camrotates in thedirection-of the arrow and the roller I02 is being moved by th e, eccentric portion of the cam C outwardly away from the center of the cam and this will shift the spider in a clockwise direction. The shifting of the spider in a clockwise-direction accelerates the speed of rotation of the internal gear, and this-in turn will accelerate the speed of rotation of the cap carrier.

The normal speed of the cap carrier isslightly less than the speed of the conveyer. This 9.0-: coloration of the normal speed of the cap carrier occurs as the cap carrier is moving over the conveyor, and the acceleration is sufilcient so that the cap carrier will move substantially at the same speed as the conveyer when over the con veyer. At this time the cam groove in thecan'i disc 82 will operate to oscillate the lever 83 and thus oscillates the shaft '66 and causes the-cap carrier to move downwardly so that the suction cup is sufficiently close to the cap that the valve will be opened and the cap atached to the cup by suction.

In Figure 10, the roller I02 is shown at the position in the cam groove at the time of pick up of the cap. As the cam 81 continues its rotation the roller I02 will continue to shift the spider to the end of its oscillating stroke. The concentrio portion B then operating on the roller I02 will cause the spider to dwell for a short time at the end of its oscillating stroke. The eccentric section D of the cam groove Hi3 then contacts the roller [02 and moves it inwardly toward the center of the cam. This shifts the spider in a counter-clockwise direction. This shifting of the planet gears in a counter-clockwise direction decelerates the movement of the in ternal gear and in turn decelerates the speed of rotation of the cap carrier.

The eccentricity of the section D is so designed that the deceleration of the rotation of the cap carrier is such that the cap carrier will be brought briefly to substantially a stand-still when the cap carrier is over the tray on which the cap is to be deposited. At this time the cam groove 85 in the cam disc 82 operates to oscillate the shaft 66 and move the cap carrier to' a position close to the tray and the breaking of the suction by opening of the release valve causes the cap to drop onto the tray.

The spider continues its oscillation in a clockwise direction until the radial line a--a: reaches the roller and while, the roller is passing through the concentric portion A of the cam groove I93 the spider will remain substantially without shifting, and then when the roller reaches eccentric section C, the spider will be oscillated again in a clockwise direction and the next cycle of operation formed. It is understood that the accelerating and decelerating movements are imparted simultaneously to all of the cap carriers, and they will move so as to lift the group of caps simultaneously from the conveyer and simultaneously deposit the group of lifted caps on a tray. 'It is noted that by the mechanism described above, applicant has provided means formoving a group of caps from a continuously traveling I conveyer, and wherein said lifting mechanism will moveover a tray and simultaneously deposit the lifted caps on the tray. This all occurs while the tray is moving; By multiplying the number of cap lifting devices which operate as a group for transferring the caps, the speed of the machine has been greatly increased.

It is obvious that many changes in details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cap transfer mechanism for lifting a group of caps from a moving conveyer and placing the same on a moving oven drying tray comprising a series of cap carriers independently mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and movement longitudinally of said axis, mechanism for rotating said carriers so as to position the same first over the conveyer and thence over the tray, and means for lowering said carriers into engagementwith thecaps on the conveyer and again for lowering said carriers for placement of the lifted caps on a tray, an actuating shaft connected to each carrier for rotating the same, an internal gear connected t sa d. ac tin Sha ts ns rd qs dwiihi said" internal gear and planet gears for imparting rotation'of the sun gear to the internal gear, means for supporting said planet gears whereby they may be shifted about the axis of the sun gear, and an actuating cam for shifting theplanet gears so as to accelerate the movement of the carriers to the speed of movement of the conveyer while lifting the caps'from the conveyer and for shifting said planet gears so as to decelerate the movement of the carriers to a substantially standstill for placing the caps on a tray. a

2. A cap transfer mechanism for liftinga group of caps from a moving conveyer and placing the same on a moving oven drying tray comprising a series of cap carriers independently mounted for rotation about a vertical aXis and movement longitudinally of said axis, mechanism for rotating said carriers so as to position the same first over the conveyer and thence over the tray, and means for lowering said carriers into engagement with the caps on the conveyer and again for lowering said carriers for placement of the lifted caps on a tray, an actuating shaft connected to each carrier for rotating the same, an internal gear connected to said actuating shaft, a sun gear disposed within said internal gear and 'planet gears for imparting rotation of the sun gear to the internal gear, means for supportingv said planet gears whereby. they may be shifted-about the axis of the sun gear, and an actuating cam for shifting the planet gears so as to accelerate the movement of, the carriers to the speed of movement-of the conveyer while lifting the caps from the conveyer and for shifting said planet gears so as to decelerate the movement of the carriers to a substantially standstill for placing the caps on a tray, each carrier having a suction cup, a control valve opened by engagement with the cap and a control valve open to break the suction for depositing the cap on the tray.

3. The combination of a movable conveyer for supporting coated caps, traveling trays for supporting a group of caps while oven drying the same, a transfer mechanism for simultaneously removing the group of caps from the conveyor while it is moving and simultaneously placing the lifted group on a tray while the tray is moving, said transfer mechanism including a series of cap carrying devices independently mounted for rotation about vertical axes, said axes being arranged in a line parallel with the line of travel of the conveyor and at right angles to the line of travel of the trays and positioned so that said devices will simultaneously move over the conveyor and thence over the tray, each cap carrying device being movable endwise of its axis for, engagement with the caps on the conveyor and for placement of the caps on the tray, an actuating shaft common to said cap carrying devices for rotating the same a mechanism for rotating said actuating shaft including devices for accelerating the rota tion of the carrying devices to the speed of travel of the caps while picking up thecaps from the conveyor and for decelerating the rotation of said devices to a substantial standstill while depositing the caps on a tray.

4. The combination of a movable conveyor for supporting coated caps, traveling trays for supporting a group of caps while oven drying the same, a transfer mechanism for simultaneously removing the group of caps from the conveyor while it is moving and simultaneously placing the lifted group on a tray while'the tray is moving, said transfer mechanism including a series of cap carrying devices independently mounted for rotas tion about vertical axes, said axes being arranged in a line parallel with the line of travel of the conveyor and at right angles to the line of travel of the trays and positioned so that said devices will simultaneously move over the conveyor and thence over the tray, each cap carrying device being movable endwise of its axis for engagement with the caps on the conveyor andior placement of the caps on the tray, an actuating shaft common to said cap carrying devices for rotating the same, a mechanism for rotating said actuating shaft including devices for accelerating the rotation of the carrying devices to the speed of travel of the caps while picking up the caps from the conveyor and for decelerating the rotation of said devices to a substantial standstill While depositing the caps on a tray, each cap carrying device having a suction cup, a control valve opened by engagement with the cap, and an independent control valve opened to break the suction when the cap carrying device is over the tray.

ERNEST A. TESCH, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

